Internet/Computer Addiction

[Jon M]

I've been thinking of this for quite a while, I've had to be very honest with myself as it's not an easy thing to diagnose, certainly without any degree of bias anyway.
My wife has been through a lot with me, as I've often pushed the limits without thinking about it.

Basically, a typical day for me is to mess about online periodically during work time ( not too obvious eh? ). I get home about 5pm and play games first usually, until I pick she who must be obeyed up from the station (6pm). I'll leave the PC alone, more or less, until about 8pm, when, unless there is some good TV on, I'll sit on the computer again.

This evening period can last until 2 - 3am, mostly consisting of gaming, web development, software testing and other random stuff. Obviously this isn't good as a regular routine as 4 - 5 hours sleep all week takes it's toll and I've been ill from it in the past.

The problems are more evident when I see the effect on my wife, she is very patient with me, although that has it's limits . She doesn't deal well with lack of sleep, and almost without exception she'll be woken up when I go to bed.

I've tried to discipline myself, which has been partially successful, yet I always seem to lapse back into my old ways.

I don't think I have any particular compulsion to do this, but I tend to lose all concept of time when I get into something, which is when I'll suddenly realise that I've been sat there for 4 hours when I meant to take 30 minutes.

I'm aware I may seem a bit sad, but I'm sure I won't be on my own. Anyone else able to identify to some degree with this?

for sure, especially suddenly realising it is way past a 'normal' bedtime.

Regarding my wife, it is difficult to say which came first, my computer obsession, or her choice of TV programme (soaps especially - which I can't stand). She also does a lot of school related work in the evening and prefers to not be distracted, so I tend to go upstairs to watch what I want on tv (on the pc), dvd's (on the pc), play music (on the pc) - oh & use the pc.

- so in that respect, I am lucky, I guess, as the 'arrangement' seems to work.

[Maggy J]

If there is something I want to watch on the telly I do.If I have a book to read I read.If I've school stuff to do I do it(usually on the PC-worksheets scanned in and printed).

If I've nothing else to do I go online.Or I work on my art work.PC and real life painting.Mind I'm not doing much of the latter because I rather like to work in daylight and there's not much of that after work during the winter months.I'm wondering when I'm going to get one weekday off before Crimbo so I can go shopping!!

I also have to fight for time on the PC with youngest born as it is the only computer connected to the internet.

So I suppose I could be called addicted but then I'm not online when I'm working and I don't miss it.I've no time to.

[Chris W]

Silver... set a timer for say midnight (or whenever you need to go to bed to get a good nights sleep) and then when it goes off, stop what you are doing and head to bed. This way you won't lose track of time and end up up all night on.

I have similar issues, but mainly because i have a wireless lappy which is easily accessable from bed, and if i can't sleep i'll pick it up and get into something which can sometimes go on all night!

[Jon M]

Scheduled shutdown.. now theres a good idea. I know of a few apps that will do it, I'll report back tomorrow

[bopdude]

I can relate to your ' problem ' I'll sit here all day ( have done in the past ), gf likes soaps and lets me get on with it, if i'm on the road i keep in touch on my xda, so yep, i think i might have a problem

[Bex]

i used to be a net addict.... and i admit it. when i was at uni, i used to come in and shortly afterwards go online and be online for many hours. i found that when i slept i was actually dreaming in msn conversations.
and when our net went down i didnt know how to entertain myself.

i think my net obsession continued till about 4months ago.. when i got my new job it was longer hours, so i'm normally too knackered to spend hours online, although after i've got changed from work etc i do still switch my pc on before i even think about eating to check my mail and stuff, but i rarely go onto msn messanger any more, for me that's the worse because i end up spending hours talking.

my other half on the other hand is completely obsessed. if we ever decide to move in together i might try and curb his internet usage

[Theodoric]

It could well be that time will cure it. I remember that when I got my BBC computer in, ahem, I tended to stay up to all hours, but after a while (well, a year or two ), the interest simply wore off.

[Nikko]

I hardly ever use the internet, in fact the only reason I am writing this is to accumulate a a post credit for the Arcade.....................damn lol

[bob_a_builder]

but I'm sure I won't be on my own

I wouldn't be too sure that, thats just what you might be if not too careful.

Same thing happened to me some 25 years ago, got deep into it, programming Nascoms etc, had the net been around then could have been even worse. !

Came home one day, no missus !, only third party involved was the computer !

If you get the bug bad then they are very addictive ( computers I mean).

Best to get it under control now !

I scored 88 points, which means...

Your Internet usage is causing significant problems in your life. You should evaluate the impact of the Internet on your life and address the problems directly caused by your Internet usage.

http://www.netaddiction.com/resource...ction_test.htm

[handyman]

I spend 8 working hours on a pc and hop on and off the internet all day. When I go for a poo I have facebook on my iphone or iplayer. When I get in from work I dive on and check my work and home emails then facebook. Some nights thats me on the pc till 1am doing web development or simply surfing.

I also connect through my mobile. Can't seem to get enough of it, been addicted since 1993-4

Tense? Angry? Can't get online? Internet addiction is now a serious public health issue that should be officially recognised as a clinical disorder, according to a leading psychiatrist.

Excessive gaming, viewing online pornography, emailing and text messaging have been identified as causes of a compulsive-impulsive disorder by Dr Jerald Block, author of an editorial for the respected American Journal of Psychiatry. Block argues that the disorder is now so common that it merits inclusion in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, the profession's primary resource to categorise and diagnose mental illnesses.

[Maggy J]

Wow ! Another bump of an old thread.

Originally Posted by Incognitas

Wow ! Another bump of an old thread.

Wow, another pointless post